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OPEN LETTER TO
GOLDA MEIR
"Prime Minister of Israel"
Mrs. Cold.. Meir:
You have just arrived at th* blessed shore* of the United
Statea of Amerira to plead the caiiGe of your country. Sad to
say, your arrival comes od tlie heels of alarming and heartrending reporta of what amounts to religious discrimination
•nd persecution in the Holy Land, by way of actual and
contemplated policies of your government.
We want yon lo know that the American Jewish community
is deeply di.irc.--ed by your decision to once again initiate the
calamitous law of "Shcrnt Leumi", i.e. conscription of girls lo
serve in government agencies under the Military Draft Act.-
Years ago, when that law was first considered, an anguished
cry went up from virtually every authoritative source in Jewish'
life, including your own Chief Rahbinnte. Without exception,
they ruled lhat according to Jewish law, such a program waa •
a cardinal sin falling within the category of the three most
serious transgressions of tbe Torah; Jewish'girls are required
to sacrifice their life rather than commit one of these transgressions. Now, under your leadership, the Israeli government
sees fit to once again raise this horrible scourge which, in fact,
threatens the fundamental existence of tbe Jewish people. The
ruling of the Rabbis applies with eqnal force to yonr present
attempt to camouflage the bill under the guise of • "voluntary.?)" conscription. Should this late be implemented religious
Jet-:* will be forced lo emigrate from Israel.
We urge and demand of yon to cease and desist from this at
once. We al.» want lo make it abundantly clear lhat the American Jewish community will not remain silent on tbis crucial.
issne. We fail lo see how you expect others to respond to your
pleasi when you have turned a deaf ear to the pleas and importuna-
tions of those who bleed to preserve the sanctity of Jewish life.
We are shocked beyond words at the revelation that religions
Russian Jews who have been released from their erstwhile
bondage reach Israel and are horrified by the religious discrim- •
ination that makes tbem eager lo return to the Soviet Onion.
Your continuous criticism of religious discrimination in ihe
Soviet Union is absurd in light of the above mentioned facts.
Nor will we ever hold our peace in the face of the indiscrim-'
inale mass autopsies that have deterred those who desperately
need mediral attention'from sreking hospitalisation out of fear,
thai their bodies will be mutilated upon their demise. Tbere
ia abundant evidence that many have died prematurely because
of their horror al being hospitalized in light of ihe anticipated
autopsy that might follow their death—despite the expressed '
objection of Ihe deceased and their family.
We have tried every possible avenue of relief, we have nsed
every normal channel in an attempt lo make your government
responsive to the sensitivities of those who are authentically
Jewish. What we have asked is simply to preserve Jewish
identity, Jewish morality imd Jewish dignity in tbe Holy Land
only to find tbat our pleas are Ignored and scoffed al. We are
appalled by the brutality used against those Jews who protect
peacefully against these attacks on their religious values. We
are now witnessing an atmosphere of severe harassment of
Orthodox Jews in the city of Jerusalem, such would never have
been thought possible in a predominately Jewish community.
Therefore we are compelled to turn to you with tbis open plea
at Ihis crucial moment, seeking your assurance to the American
Jewish community tbat our concema will be dealt with, and
our fears be allayed and that religious freedom will be restored
and preserved in the Holy Land.
We dare not be silent any longer. We cannot stand by and
see the religions right of our brethren trampled underfoot by
yonr government in Ihe Holy Land. We must protest against
such injustice, and will do whatever necessary to bring these
outrageous practices lo a halt.
We will not sit by and tvait for the destruction of the rights
of relifiout Jews to live in the Holy Land.
National Committee of Orthodox
'»wi_h Communities

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User has an obligation to determine copyright or other use restrictions prior to publication or distribution. Please contact the archives at reference@ajhsboston.org or 617-226-1245 for more information.

Transcript

ADVERTISEMENT
OPEN LETTER TO
GOLDA MEIR
"Prime Minister of Israel"
Mrs. Cold.. Meir:
You have just arrived at th* blessed shore* of the United
Statea of Amerira to plead the caiiGe of your country. Sad to
say, your arrival comes od tlie heels of alarming and heartrending reporta of what amounts to religious discrimination
•nd persecution in the Holy Land, by way of actual and
contemplated policies of your government.
We want yon lo know that the American Jewish community
is deeply di.irc.--ed by your decision to once again initiate the
calamitous law of "Shcrnt Leumi", i.e. conscription of girls lo
serve in government agencies under the Military Draft Act.-
Years ago, when that law was first considered, an anguished
cry went up from virtually every authoritative source in Jewish'
life, including your own Chief Rahbinnte. Without exception,
they ruled lhat according to Jewish law, such a program waa •
a cardinal sin falling within the category of the three most
serious transgressions of tbe Torah; Jewish'girls are required
to sacrifice their life rather than commit one of these transgressions. Now, under your leadership, the Israeli government
sees fit to once again raise this horrible scourge which, in fact,
threatens the fundamental existence of tbe Jewish people. The
ruling of the Rabbis applies with eqnal force to yonr present
attempt to camouflage the bill under the guise of • "voluntary.?)" conscription. Should this late be implemented religious
Jet-:* will be forced lo emigrate from Israel.
We urge and demand of yon to cease and desist from this at
once. We al.» want lo make it abundantly clear lhat the American Jewish community will not remain silent on tbis crucial.
issne. We fail lo see how you expect others to respond to your
pleasi when you have turned a deaf ear to the pleas and importuna-
tions of those who bleed to preserve the sanctity of Jewish life.
We are shocked beyond words at the revelation that religions
Russian Jews who have been released from their erstwhile
bondage reach Israel and are horrified by the religious discrim- •
ination that makes tbem eager lo return to the Soviet Onion.
Your continuous criticism of religious discrimination in ihe
Soviet Union is absurd in light of the above mentioned facts.
Nor will we ever hold our peace in the face of the indiscrim-'
inale mass autopsies that have deterred those who desperately
need mediral attention'from sreking hospitalisation out of fear,
thai their bodies will be mutilated upon their demise. Tbere
ia abundant evidence that many have died prematurely because
of their horror al being hospitalized in light of ihe anticipated
autopsy that might follow their death—despite the expressed '
objection of Ihe deceased and their family.
We have tried every possible avenue of relief, we have nsed
every normal channel in an attempt lo make your government
responsive to the sensitivities of those who are authentically
Jewish. What we have asked is simply to preserve Jewish
identity, Jewish morality imd Jewish dignity in tbe Holy Land
only to find tbat our pleas are Ignored and scoffed al. We are
appalled by the brutality used against those Jews who protect
peacefully against these attacks on their religious values. We
are now witnessing an atmosphere of severe harassment of
Orthodox Jews in the city of Jerusalem, such would never have
been thought possible in a predominately Jewish community.
Therefore we are compelled to turn to you with tbis open plea
at Ihis crucial moment, seeking your assurance to the American
Jewish community tbat our concema will be dealt with, and
our fears be allayed and that religious freedom will be restored
and preserved in the Holy Land.
We dare not be silent any longer. We cannot stand by and
see the religions right of our brethren trampled underfoot by
yonr government in Ihe Holy Land. We must protest against
such injustice, and will do whatever necessary to bring these
outrageous practices lo a halt.
We will not sit by and tvait for the destruction of the rights
of relifiout Jews to live in the Holy Land.
National Committee of Orthodox
'»wi_h Communities